A jury was seated Tuesday in the trial of Noel Carter, the man whose arrest sparked allegations of Orlando police brutality.

The six-person jury, plus two alternates, heard opening statements from the prosecution and defense, before hearing from witnesses in the case.

Advertisement

Carter is accused of grabbing his ex-girlfriend outside a downtown club last year, then resisting officers' attempts to arrest him.

At the center of the trial are videos of the June 4, 2015, encounter between Carter and two Orlando police officers outside Venue 578.

The state argued Tuesday that witness cellphone video shows Carter ran from the officers, ignored their commands and got violent with them.

"As soon as Officer (David) Cruz got close enough to drive stun the defendant, the defendant immediately turns around and charges at Officer Cruz," Assistant State Attorney Stacy Fallon said.

But it was video of Cruz kicking Carter and fellow OPD Officer Charles Mays using a stun gun on him that got national attention.

In October, State Attorney Jeff Ashton found the use of force was justified.

The defense tells a different story.

"Every action that you see on that video, of all videos of Noel, every action is a defensive action, trying to get away," said defense attorney Natalie Jackson. "There is never one offensive. He's always trying to get away, and he's always with his hands up."

Carter is charged with two felonies -- resisting an officer with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer -- and two misdemeanors -- battery and resisting an officer without violence.